Nairobi News

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Curtains fall on iconic Imax 20th Century as auctioneers come calling


Movie theatres seem to have lost the fight to stay alive. On Tuesday, movie lovers woke up to the sad news that the popular IMAX 20th Century movie theatre located along Mama Ngina Street in the Nairobi CBD is being auctioned.

In a notice published on local dailies, the landlord of Century Plaza building directed auctioneers to recover property from the cinema hall over defaulted rent.

AUCTION

“Under instructions received from our client, we shall sell by public auction the undermentioned goods on Wednesday 15th July, 2020 at 20th Century Plaza, Nairobi CBD at 11am,” the notice reads in part.

According to the notice, the sale will include a huge assortment of movie theatre equipment, including retractable seats, projectors, TV sets, power back-up units, roof and wall mounted speakers.

Other equipment that will go under the hammer include fridges, glass top tables, chairs, alcoholic and soft drinks, lounge seats, freezers, ice cube makers, and cookers.

Those interested in participating in the auction are required to pay refundable deposit of Sh100,000 in order to obtain a bidding number.

CAPACITY

The theatre has been closed since March, when the first case of Covid-19 was announced in the country.

The famous movie theatre is run by Blue Sky World which also owns Anga Sky at Panari Hotel along Mombasa Road and IMAX Diamond, in Parklands.

IMAX 20th Century was the only remaining movie theatre within Nairobi’s CBD.

It was Kenya’s first digital IMAX theatre system which was launched in 2012 and could accommodate 255 people seated at a go.

The theatre was the second commercial screen for IMAX in Africa, after Morocco.

To accommodate the changes, the usual screen and sitting space was expanded into the massive hall that previously housed two screens.